title: Radiographic evaluation of the symphysis menti as a donor site for an autologous bone graft in pre-implant surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to obtain a quantitative evaluation of the cortical and cancellous bone graft harvestable from the mental and canine regions, and to evaluate the cortical vestibular thickness.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study collected cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images of 100 Italian patients. The limits of the mental region were established: 5 mm in front of the medial margin of each mental foramen, 5 mm under the apex of each tooth present, and above the inferior mandibular cortex. Cortical and cancellous bone volumes were evaluated using SimPlant software (SimPlant 3-D Pro, Materialize, Leuven, Belgium) tools. In addition, the cortical vestibular thickness (minimal and maximal values) was evaluated in 3 cross-sections corresponding to the right canine tooth (3R), the median section (M), and the left canine tooth (3L).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cortical volume was 0.71±0.23 mL (0.27-1.96 mL) and the cancellous volume was 2.16±0.76 mL (0.86-6.28 mL). The minimal cortical vestibular thickness was 1.54±0.41 mm (0.61-3.25 mm), and the maximal cortical vestibular thickness was 3.14±0.75mm(1.01-5.83 mm).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the imaging software allowed a patient-specific assessment of mental and canine region bone availability. The proposed evaluation method might help the surgeon in the selection of the donor site by the comparison between bone availability in the donor site and the reconstructive exigency of the recipient site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Bari
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coronelli
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cicconetti
keywords: Bone Density; Bone Resorption; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Grafting, Bone